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NBC sees a million downloads since return to iTunes

Having buried the hatchet with Apple, NBC last week returned to supplying its content to the iTunes Store — a move that has been met with gangbuster results, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

"Users of Apple's popular digital storefront had no problem relocating NBC Uni's TV shows now that a new deal between the companies on Sept. 9 restored episodes," the publication said. "More than 1 million downloads for NBC Uni TV properties have been tallied since then, according to Apple."

Prior to its bitter breakup with the iPod maker last fall, it was reported that the network's content was accounting for roughly 40 percent of all video downloads on iTunes. As part of its return to the service last week, NBC pledged to offer one free download from each of its top series — in standard or HD — during the first two weeks.

As such, MacRumors ">points out that a significant portion of its 1 million episode tally may have been a result of these complimentary offerings, rather than paid offerings. TUAW had previously compiled a list of the network's free HD offerings, available below:

33 Comments

dr_lha 19 Years · 236 comments

NBC lost a lot of cash in its little spat with Apple, eh?

caliminius 19 Years · 941 comments

Quote:
Originally Posted by dr_lha

NBC lost a lot of cash in its little spat with Apple, eh?

Not if most of those million dowloads were free. And since you get both the SD & HD versions when you purchase an HD show, whose to say there really weren't only 500,000 true purchases (either paid or free)?

shaun, uk 19 Years · 1050 comments

Why is Monk Series 1-5 in 4:3 format and Series 6-7 in 16:9 format? Can't they convert all the series to 16:9?

All the other TV shows I've previewed on iTunes have been in the 16:9 format - including old programmes.

I was going to buy Series 5 which is the only one currently on offer in the UK iTunes store (go figure?) but it looks ridiculous on my 17" widescreen laptop.

tenobell 20 Years · 6976 comments

Quote:
Originally Posted by caliminius

Not if most of those million dowloads were free. And since you get both the SD & HD versions when you purchase an HD show, whose to say there really weren't only 500,000 true purchases (either paid or free)?

This originates from a Hollywood Reporter story that says traffic to all of NBC's online content has increased since NBC went back on iTunes. So all of the benefit isn't in how much money NBC makes directly from iTunes itself, but how iTunes helps NBC grow its audience.

The Hollywood Reporter does say that 30% of the top selling shows on iTunes are NBC shows. So NBC did cut out a good source of revenue.